Seeking to explore the possibility of making mandatory catering services optional on trains, Railways yesterday announced to undertake the scheme on Nizamuddin-Mumbai August Kranti Rajdhani Express and Pune-Secunderabad Shatabdi Express.

“We had announced in the budget to make catering service optional in a few selected trains and today, we are launching the same,” said Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. Under the scheme, optional catering will be provided on trial basis to passengers from June 9.